Horrible bartender tonight, guy with dark hair and glasses. I arrived tonight to scope out for a corporate buyout to entertain clients. The bartender was completely rude as I ordered a beer and didn't understand him and he belittled me in front of colleagues. We are taking our event to H Street as we can't risk him being rude to our clients...oh, and we spent $50k on the event last year! read more

fun vibe, customers are cool. decently priced drinks. a big issue, however, are the bartenders. I myself have never had a run in with them, but i have continuously observed them talking down to other customers. knowing many people and family members in the service industry, i am generally sympathetic towards bartenders. but these patrons did nothing wrong. the bartenders here are complete dicks. most of them are, actually, especially this guy named josh. avoid this place like the plague and go next door to red derby, raven, or dew drop inn. WAY better vibe and bartenders. read more

We read the great reviews and came out for Dinner and drinks. We did not realize that there was not really any wait staff so sat at the table for a while before we asked and found out you order everything at the bar and then they bring it out to you. That being said everything was delicious and the drinks are reasonably priced. $3 PBR and $8 frozen drinks. The outdoor patio area was great but someone did come up to everyone asking for money while we were out there which brought down the vibe. After dinner we played pin ball and had a blast! Would definitely recommend but think they should do a better job letting people know how to order when they come in. read more

Lyman's has a bunch of well maintained pinball games, a nice little side porch, and they serve Peak Organic Fresh Cut. The bartenders are always super friendly and attentive. I love Lyman's!!! read more

Love this place! Good selection of beer but the best part and the reason I made the trip is for the pinball games! Indoor and outdoor seating. Not really in the best looking neighborhood though. The metro stop isn't too far away so that's convenient. Loved the rockabilly music on the speakers too! read more

Lyman's Tavern - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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A chill dive bar with a dozen or so pinball machines, a great beer selection and free popcorn. What more could you want?

Good spot to grab a beer and play a game of pinball or two. The beer selection wasn't thaaaat good but it did the job. Definitely good for just chillin and enjoying a drink with some friends. read more

Cheap drinks, pinball galore, and good outdoor seating - v gender neutral bathrooms. Will come back to try the food.

Checked in tonight to the best dive bar I've found since I left Pittsburgh 15 years ago. Delightfully sassy staff and excellent beer and whisk(e)y selection. Def coming back! read more

This bar has served me many a adventure. From their generous drinks, to their jubilant food. Often I find myself pondering things greater than I, as I stand over my machine (us true pin ballers simply refer to our machines as such). The relationship you build with the machine truly transcends any human interaction one could have, and I assume the owners know this as they have put in some 15 machines. 15 machines. 15 opportunities to truly know oneself. 15 opportunities for a deeper meaning. Fifteen opportunities... for well... love. I know my relationship is considered "taboo" or "fringe" however, one doesn't chose their lover... it just sort of... happens. Due to the nature of my machine and Is relationship I often coke to Lyman's early. I arrive before the crowds of flannel sporting hipsters come and gawk at the machines like children in a candy store. Sure that seems like "love" at the time. As a child you "love" candy. But as you grow older you begin to realize how shallow the relationship between you, and your beloved candy truly was. You do not love candy, you simply enjoy its short presence in your fragile little life. I however; understand my machine, I address her as a man addresses his lover, his queen. I will continue to support Lyman's, as long as they house these relentlessly loving, giving, and supporting machines that I have come to know over the years. I may move on to other machines, however I will always have my first. My first embrace, my first kiss, my first true love, but I digress. Yeah the foods decent and the beer list is good too. read more

Very chill bar. Drinks are affordable, granted I don't drink as much anymore but they drink I did have was a blueberry flavor and anyone who knows me knows I have heart eyes for anything blueberry. The feel is VERY divey, and I loved all the pinball machines and the random $1 dollar bills stuck on the ceiling, pretty hilarious. The music wasn't super loud which was awesome because I was able to enjoy my conversations which out losing my voice and erupting my eardrums. The bar itself was clean and the bartenders were very attendant to all their customers and keeping the counter clean and not sticky like some divey bars I've gone to. read more

This is a much overdue review - Lyman's Tavern is the single greatest bar in DC. Awesome environment, pinball galore, and popcorn w/ sriracha... what more could one possibly ask for?? Keep an eye out on their Facebook page - it looks like they are doing carry-out (and the menu looks bangin - there are slushies...) read more

Cool neighborhood bar. Lots of pinball machines. They have an ATM and a change machine on site to help facilitate your pinball addiction. Popcorn. Good beers. Nice crowd that tends to be a good mix of the neighborhood. Their menu has hotdogs, sliders, etc. The sliders are big enough for a meal and then some. read more

The minute you walk into this place the smell overwhelms you. Not sure if there's an infestation problem or mold, but there's a smell inside this place that should NOT be associated with a restaurant. Stay away! read more

Lyman's Tavern - If you're in the area and you want a bite to eat, stay away from this place - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Lyman's is one of the best bars in DC. So many fun pinball tables in great condition. Hands off Ghostbusters, that table is reserved for me only. :) Don't forget to try the frozen drinks, they are strong unlike most bars, and are really, really tasty. read more

Lyman's is hands down my favorite bar in D.C. (or possibly any other city that I've found myself in). Best bar food with plenty of meat and veggie options, good drinks, friendly service and an amazing patio which is regularly frequented with adorable bar dogs. It's manages to feel divey and like it's been a neighborhood staple for decades while still serving food that's above and beyond most bar fare, and at totally reasonable prices. read more

I had a great night hanging out on the porch with a bunch of old friends. One of them had recommended this as a great place to get together and I am glad he did. Best drink prices in DC, great service for a dive, and amazing sliders for only $12. I can't wait for my next trip to DC to hang out with friends here again. I highly recommend this place! read more

Jordan S from Tampa should stick to what she's good at - because telling the truth isn't it. The homeless addict that was harassing people on the side patio took offense when he was told it wasn't proper behavior. I'm a patron, not a chef, who decided to intervene. Jordan didn't see the knife he had, didn't hear the threats he made as he walked to the corner. If Jordan was paying attention instead of boozing it up, she'd realize virtue-signaling for a violent heroin addict was a bad move. But no, in the age of perpetual outrage all Jordan can manage is a two-sentence one star "review" that reveals a person more interested in her own ego than relating the truth. And the kicker? I found out later she couldn't even be bothered to pay her tab. Jordan, you are the reason yelp in general is a complete pile of garbage, and I feel sorry for any restaurant or bar that has you as a customer. In short, get stuffed you screeching harpy. read more

Great dive bar for cheap drinks and baseball stadium food. Hard sell when it's next to Derby. Wish this place had a larger drink selection.

I really want to like this place for several reasons. It's close to my house. The beers on tap are solid. The pulled pork sliders and grilled cheese are very good. The open patio off of 14th street is great, particularly on nice days. The vibe I got from the staff though was unwelcoming to say the least. Maybe because I don't have any tats. Maybe because I don't have a big hipster beard. Maybe because I'm not in my twenties. The feeling definitely was, 'you don't belong here,' which was really grating because I've been a DC rez for more than 15 years and moved here when most of the staff was probably still in grade school. read more

Chill spot with great good. Anything with chili on it is amazing here! Really love the inside but outside feel set up they have. In a nice and quiet neighborhood. read more

Great bar, less than welcoming service. There is so much to like about this bar. An affordable and tasty food menu. A great selection of booze. A delightful bar that opens up to the patio. Pinball machines. Big windows. A piano. Would it be too much to ask that if I ask for two drinks and the bartender makes one, that they are not visibly annoyed with me when I ask for the second drink? Is it too much to ask that if you order food of a bartender looking you straight in the eye that they not say "I am too busy right now" and walk away. I have worked far busier joints in my life and I know the experience on both sides of a bar. I have worked dives. I have worked weddings and I have worked cocktail bars. I know what it takes to be responsive and I tell you that there was no reason for such cold and uninspired service given the number of people in the room. Is it an oppressive request that people just be nice? I'll try this place out again because it has so much else going for it and because everyone has a bad day. Alas...sheesh. read more

We live in Columbia Heights and we "knew" about Lyman's but haven't ventured up to experience it until a random November Sunday. I go to the blog http://newcolumbiaheights.blogspot.com to check out new happenings in the neighborhood and there was a post of a BISCUIT LAB at Lyman's that only happened on Sundays and it was for a limited time. Well it was Sunday, and it was probably the second to last Sunday they were going to do it before they closed shop on the idea for the holidays so we decided to head on up 14th Street to check it out. We used to live in Austin where all things are hipster weird and Lyman's DEFINITELY felt like it could have been a bar out on Austin's 6th Street or Rainey Street 'hood. Yup it's hipster-y all right.right there with the old school pinball machines, high row display of old model cameras, random displays of "cool junk" especially small rodents with antlers (Which COMPLETELY reminds me of the Austin Jackalope!) We ordered a sprinkle of items on the limited menu but boy, what we got was DIVINE! My husband is all about biscuits and gravy and he is actually quite critical of how it tastes...the one he got here...he said it's actually the best tasting one he's had in awhile! Their drink menu is also quite limited and sadly they had no cider on tap, just a bottled brand, which actually was semi dry (the way I like) and quite delish. Thanks Lyman's...we don't know what your "night life" is like but we definitely loved your Sunday brunch vibe. Hope you have food there more often. read more

We enjoyed this place. The tacos are really good, and the pinball games are so fun! We went early and brought our kids. I don't get the sense that they were particularly thrilled to have the kids there, but the bartender was really friendly. We left like 7 pm and the place was just starting to fill up, which I think is the right call if you're going with kids. read more

service is amazing! They serve vegan "soy"sauges and it's just "frankly" amazing! Go here for a good time

So this is supposed to be a neighborhood bar but I don't know how welcoming I think it is. I've been siting at the table & no ones acknowledged me or stopped over meanwhile mister is @ the bar & not being served there. They have servers on the floor, guess just not in my section. read more

This place is great. It has a chill vibe and the outside area is great in the summer. Check out all the dollar bills stuck to the ceiling and the pinball machines! read more

Divey (but not dirty) neighborhood bar with pinball machines, free popcorn (a little stale but the sriracha butter's fun), and a no frills drinks list - drafts, cans (including Twisted Tea - shut up, it tastes just like Nestea), and a longer list of bottles. They've also got a pretty full selection of liquors. The best part is their bar food menu. Definitely a cut above regular bar food. They've got little baby grilled cheese sandwiches, a cheesesteak on the small side, and if you're a fan of Cubans, you have to try their Medianoche. Served on bread with some crisp on the outside, it's got mild pulled pork, a thick slice of ham, pickles, jalepenos, melty cheese, and a generous slather of mustard. Perfect late night dinner. read more

Backstory: My wife and I have had an unhealthy obsession with Pinball video games on the PS4 for the past few months. We'd play all the tables all night, about 3-4 nights a week. So much, in fact, that I thought it would be awesome if I actually found a place that has a REAL pinball machine or two. So I started looking online for places with pinball machines in DC, NoVA... Slim pickings. Lyman's Tavern was the one spot that stood out as far as reviews, number of machines, and selection. So one Tuesday night last month, I told my wife that we were gonna go out... Didn't tell her where, though. We got into the truck, and drove to Lyman's Tavern... It had just rained, and it was about 10pm, so when we got there, it was sparse (maybe about 10-12 people). She was ecstatic when she saw the pinball machines in the back, and even more so when we spotted Attack From Mars! (it's one of the machines in the video version we play). We had a chance to sit for a minute and order beers, the guy/girl behind the bar were very friendly. We played the pins for about an hour and a half between drinks and popcorn (with Sriracha butter) as the jukebox played. It was a great night. The place is very dive-bar/hipsterish, but without the fakeness of trying to be something that it wasn't (if that makes sense). All in all, awesome place to play pinball, hang out with friends, and have some drinks in a casual, divey kind of bar. read more

It's got pinball. It's got a fairly short, but decent draft list. It's got nice, not terribly expensive pub grub (especially for DC). The jukebox and music are generally pretty frickin' good. The bartenders are often quiet, sometimes too quiet, but otherwise good. There are regulars. It's my preferred place to meet friends when I'm in town. read more

Just a regular, unpretentious bar with good drinks, pinball, creative burger and sausage menu and lots of interesting other customers that aren't the normal judgemental DC office drones. Staff are super friendly and make sure everyone is taken care of, even when things get kinda busy on weekend nights. Pinball is fun, even though I suck at it. Outdoor patio is great, with a pass-through service window that allows you to still order from the bar without having to leave the patio. The place has character that makes it feel like it's been here for decades, even though I think it's only 5 or 6 years old. Probably one of the best bars in DC. read more

Loveeeee this place. It's hip, has tons of pinball machines, INCREDIBLE and cheap food (Coney Island Hotdogs!), popcorn, great drinks & a cute patio. One of my regular stops. read more

$3 beers, free popcorn, attentive staff and the best pinball selection in the district make it a solid 5 stars. The place is a bit narrow so it gets crowded but that's the only drawback I can think of. My friend also received numerous free birthday drinks, props to the bartenders for that. read more

the pupusa place across the street was closed (even when our Yelp app said it was open!!) so we had a spontaneous visit to Lyman's Tavern. My first time here and love the open air concept and that sriracha butter on the popcorn! read more

Lyman's Tavern has such a cool feel, tons of pinball machines, great drinks, a little outdoor patio to get some fresh air and a jukebox filled with old school music! The service was a little slow (I waited 15 mins for my check), but I thought the experience was great. If I'm in the area, I would definitely stop by for a beer again! read more

The best bar in DC- a modern day Cheers :). I mean what's not to love!? They have the friendliest staff, awesome prices, great food, a heated patio, all the popcorn you can eat and a damn cotton candy machine! read more

This place is a great dive bar. Beer, pinball, popcorn. Cool vibe and not pretentious. Maybe if you like khakis and flip-flops and think everyone is a hipster, you might feel uncomfortable. But then again, you might as well move to Arlington right? This is the type of DC dive bar that I feared were going extinct. The bartenders were cool. service was decent, and I met some people with tattoos (oh no!) that were cool. If you want more than this from a dive bar, then you probably shouldn't go to dive bars. read more

I came here for a friend's birthday on a Friday night. Loved the atmosphere and the prices. The free popcorn was also a fun plus. Will definitely be returning. read more

This place has the strangest vibes. Went in for some drinks, appreciating their outdoor seating. Besides the smoking, which is understandable, the outdoor section is pleasant. The deal-breaker is the inexplicable rudeness of the staff. Inattentive, condescending, and incredibly odd overall. A simple order of a couple beers turned into a protracted ordeal, with requests for identification that went beyond anything I've ever experienced. The experience felt demeaning and misogynistic, to be frank. The bartenders should not necessarily be imbibing so much of their own supply, or should be assessed on basic interpersonal skills before working a job that involves social interaction. Really hoped to like this place, but left feeling disoriented and disappointed. read more

Awesome dive bar with great pinball, unexpectedly awesome frozen drinks, cold beer, and extremely solid bar food. Try the Hot Diggity Dogs, you won't regret it. The atmosphere is pretty hipster-ish, but, more than anything, I'd say the vibe is welcoming of all types of people. The pinball, drinks, and food, all at very reasonable prices, mean I've never left Lyman's Tavern without having a great time. If you can't have fun here, perhaps you don't know how to have fun! read more